The Community of Madrid has officially begun testing the new driverless Metro trains that will begin operation on Line 6 starting in 2027.
The new trains are set to be introduced as part of a comprehensive refurbishment of the Circular Line, which aims to improve the passenger experience by both increasing capacity and reducing journey times to as little as two minutes.
Test runs without passengers have now begun on Lines 10 and 11 during night-time hours, which are expected to enable various parameters of the new trains yet to be assessed. Once these trials are concluded, testing will move to the Circular Line following the completion of work currently being carried out at all 28 stations on the line.
Due to these tests, services between Sainz de Baranda and Laguna will be suspended on both 22 and 23 August, with free buses set to cover the route as a replacement.
Once completed, the Circular will become the first automated tram line in Madrid’s entire network, with trials now taking place to test the 48 trains that will make up the new fleet – which have cost the regional government over 531 million EUR.
These trials, which take place at night and feature a driver, will allow the metropolitan railway company to assess various parameters relating to safety, reliability, dynamic performance, comfort and interoperability across the entire railway system.
Consisting of six carriages and measuring in at just over 109 metres in length, each train is capable of carrying up to 1,385 passengers – an increase of 17% over current models and. The train’s design is characterised by wide aisles, as well as the absence of a traditional driver’s cab.
